1. Field of the Invention
With reference to the classification of art as established in and by the United States Patent and Trademark Office this invention is believed to be found in the general class entitled, "Conveyors, Fluid Current" (Class 406) and the subclasses entitled, "load flow diverter, divider or combined-movable conduit section" (Subclass 182) and in the subclass entitled, "carrier-wheeled" (Subclass 185). As the concrete delivered by the apparatus of this invention is pumped, such pumps are believed to be found in the general class entitled, "pumps" and the subclass therein entitled, "slurry pumps" (Subclass 900). Patents pertaining to irrigation are noted and this general class entitled, "fluid sprinkling, spraying and diffusing" (Class 239) and the subclasses 712 and 718 were also reviewed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Pumps for moving flowable concrete from a mixing source to a defined discharge area are well known and in recent years have become the economical and practical means for producing and placing concrete for use as floors, roofs, walls and roadways. The cost of materials and the closely monitored supplying of concrete to surfaces and as strength members has brought to the fore the necessity of rapid deployment of the delivered concrete so that spreading and/or finishing can be achieved within an allotted and relatively short time span.
Concrete is conventionally prepared in mixing means and when and where pumped the pipe which is used to convey the mix is conditioned by initially coating the interior of the pipe with slurry. After this coating a fluid concrete mix containing aggregate may be initially provided having a slump measuring seven to eight inches but almost immediately the mix must and does become that which is specified. Usually production concrete has a slump of two to four inches but is supplied to specification. Such mix is rapidly spread after delivery and the use of a conventional concrete pump for supplying floors and the like is well known.
The pipe associated with concrete pumping usually is about four inches in diameter. Larger and small diameters of pipe are known but the capability and maneuverability of the pipe is also a great consideration. Prior to this invention the use of wheels to support determined lengths of pipe have not included intermediate lengths of flexible pipe providing means to easily change the position of delivery. The use of wheels on pipe assemblies has been mainly for irrigation systems many of which include motor means to move the spray systems around a fixed center and these systems provide circular patterns. The handling of flowable concrete in pipe conduits for safe manipulation by as few as two attendants has not been known to Applicant prior to this invention.
A careful pre-Ex search was made in both the United States and foreign patents. Many patents were found pertaining to water sprinkling (irrigation) with wheel supported pipe lengths adapted to water circular areas and in some patents the apparatus was attendant manipulated and moved. Among these patents were U.S. Pat. 1,098,853 to VON SZCZEPKOWSKI, et al. as issued on June 2, 1914; U.S. Pat. No. 2,702,717 as issued to CORNELIUS on Feb. 22, 1955; U.S. Pat. No. 2,796,292 as issued to MAGGART on June 18, 1957; U.S. Pat. No 2,860,008 as issued to JACOBY on Nov. 11, 1958; U.S. Pat. No. 3,342,504 as issued to SEATON et al. on Sept. 19, 1967; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,272,021 as issued to STANDAL on June 9, 1981.
The above identified U.S. Patents are all directed to water irrigation. Wheels for moving the connected pipe are shown in all but SEATON, U.S. Pat. No. 3,342,504. Manipulating means for moving the pipe does not contemplate a flexible intermediate portion allowing the connected pipe to be manipulated for a controlled discharge point. These patents show, teach and suggest irrigation from spray heads spaced along the extents of pipe. Irrigation and discharge through spray heads are not contemplated with and by the apparatus of this invention. SEATON shows a skid and connector for carrying a pipe and spray head specifically for irrigation pipe and arranged to secure pipe at two spaced apart positions. Drain apparatus as in STANDAL is also not contemplated in Applicant's device.